Fifth Journey Day 99: Glaze on Fingers

Date: August 15, 2025
Location: Nizwa, Oman

A slow day in Nizwa, Oman—an oasis city fed by ancient aflaj canals and a souq steeped in spice and dates. While the khareef monsoon greens the far-southern coast, inland Nizwa leans into dry heat, palm shade, and the quiet industry that keeps water moving.

The Atmosphere of Khareef

This morning, I sat in the shade of a date tree near a narrow canal that gently moved through the soil. The water moved quickly but quietly. The surface of the water caught sunlight in thin, scattered flashes. Every so often, a palm frond would move, causing a shadow to shift across the channel. I sat there long enough to see the light change color. It started out as a pale gold, but as the sun climbed higher, it changed to a deeper, warmer color.

Quiet Moments at a Tea Stall

A few men passed, speaking quietly, their voices carrying without echo. One stopped to adjust a stone in the channel's wall, his hands moving easily. I realized then how much of this place's beauty comes from work that doesn't draw attention to itself — small acts of maintenance that allow the system to keep functioning.

The Scent of Frankincense

In the early afternoon, I walked through the streets near the market. The air felt thick and smelled of saffron, dried limes, and the smoke from a stall roasting nuts. I didn't stay long because the crowd was moving slowly, and I was also getting tired from the heat. But I remember one moment: a boy holding a paper cone of dates, the sticky glaze darkening his fingers, his other hand clutching a coin as if it might slip away. A faint ribbon of frankincense drifted somewhere behind him, threading through the heat.

Choosing Stillness Over Sketching

By evening, the sky turned a soft, pink color over the mountains. The call to prayer came from somewhere I couldn't see, the notes stretching in the dry air. I thought about how travel often makes me want to move around and collect things, but the hours I remember most clearly are like today's: narrow, quiet, and without pressure. All you need is water, a source of light, and a place to sit still.

A City in Sync with Rain

Even far from monsoon shores, Nizwa keeps time with water—the canal’s steady run, the palm’s patient shade, the small repairs that hold it all together.

Travel Notes

• Weather: late-summer heat around 40 °C (104 °F); dry air eased by canal-cool edges; sunlight shifting from pale gold to deep amber.
• Scents: saffron and dried limes from the market, smoke from roasting nuts, a light curl of frankincense, and the sugar-glaze of dates.
• Sounds: quick, quiet water; low conversations with no echo; palm fronds brushing; evening adhan spreading over pink mountains.
• Reflection: beauty lives in maintenance and in unhurried hours—water, light, and a place to sit are enough.

Continue the journey with the next entry from the coast: Frankincense in Rain Air.